Electric hand lantern



Dec. 19, 1933. H LARSON 1,939,857

ELECTRIC HAND LANTERN Filed Oct. 5, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 19, 1933.

c. H. LARSON 1,939,857

ELECTRI C HAND LANTERN Filed 061;. 5. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedDec; 19, 1933 UNITED STATES ELECTRIC HAND LANTERN Carl B. Larson,Elkhart, Ind.,assignor to The Adlake Company, Elkhart, Ind., acorporation of Illinois Application October 5, 1932. Serial No. 636,287

8 Claims.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a simple framebearing a lamp and connections that can be easily and quickly assembledwith a battery to form a light serviceable hand lantern for trainmen.

Selected ways of achieving this object are shown inthe accompanyingdrawings in which Fig. l is a front elevation of a lantern;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View with the various parts displaced to showtheir form,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3 -3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of lantern framecomposed chiefly of wire, and

Figs. 5 and 6am fragmentary perspective views, illustrating selectedways of mounting the handle.

But these drawings and the corresponding description are used mainly fordisclosure and are not intended to impose limitations on the claimsthat) will allow the substance of the invention to be appropriated byothers during the life of the patent.

The battery generally, indicated by 10, comprisesa casing of insulatingmaterial having cells for electrolyte, plates, etc., each cell beingprovided with a cap 11, and two cells being connected by a bus bar 12.The terminals 13 and 14 project from the top. This form is chosen forillustration because it is available onthe market, and suited '30 to thepurpose.

The base of the frame is a ring 15, which is grasped at opposite pointsby the rolled forks 16 of side pieces 18. Above the ring 15 the sidepieces are curved inwardly to assume an upright position against a ring19 to which they are spot welded. Some distance above the ring 19 theside pieces are offset outwardly at 20, to provide clearance for theheads 21 of. hinge pins. The

, handle comprises a metal loop covered with insulating material, suchas hard rubber 22 fitted at its endswith metal tubes 23, flattened at 24and perforated to receive the hinge pins. Fiber washers 25 on each sideof the flattened portions provide friction for sustaining the handle inan adjusted position. Beyond eachfiber washer is a metal washer 26 andbeyond that the pins are upset at 2'7 to secure the parts together.

Above the offset portions 20 the side pieces are received in offsetportions 28 of another ring, divided at the side'and having parallelears 29,

one of which'is threaded to receive a screw 39.

All parts of the frame as described are preferably of metal, such assteel or iron, except the fiber washers 25 and the cover for the handle22.

For convenience, the ring 19 will be called a seat ring and the ring 31will be called a clamping ring, or clamp.

The term insulating material, unless the context prevents, will indicateall that class of materials including hardrubber, fiber, formaldehydecondensation-products, and the like.

A block of insulating material 32 which, for convenience, will be calleda battery seat, is disklike in form and rests upon the seat ring 19 witha reduced portion 33 extending well into the ring. The lower side of thebattery seat is further reduced and made concave to conform with theback of a metal reflector 34, secured in place by screws 35, one ofwhich also fastens an angularpiece of thin resilient metal 36 formaintaining good elec 70,1 trical contact between the reflector and theseat ring 19. V

Around the middle of the reflector there is a tubular flange 37projecting into a bore 38 in the seat ring and ,a threaded 'metal lampsocket 39- 76; is soldered or brazed to the reflector and projectsupwardly into a counter bore or recess 40.

, The upper side of the seat ring 32 is provided with an annular groove41 and a diametrical groove 42. 1 The latter receives a fiat leaf spring43 secured in place by a screw 44 and having a globular depression 45for engagement with the base contact 46 of a lamp bulb 4'7.

The leaf spring 43 projects beyond the circumference of the battery andwelded or riveted to it is an upright rod 48, insulated by a sleeve 49to a point above the top of the battery and terminating in a threadedportion 50.

One terminal 13 of the battery is grounded to the frame by anangularpiece of sheet metal 51, having one end return bent at 52 to form .aclamp for the terminal 13 and the other end provided with elongated slot53 to receive the bolt 30, by which it is clamped between the ears 29 ofthe clamping ring. The other terminal 14 is equipped with a split lug 54clamped. to it by a screw 55. This lug projects beyond the rim of thebattery where it is perforated at 56, to receive the upper end of theinsulating sleeve 49, which terminates approximately flush with orslightlybelow the top of the lug. I

A knurled nut 57 on thethreaded portion 50 of the rod 48 may beadjusted, as shown in Fig. 3, to open the circuit or run down againstthe lug 54 to close the circuit. 7 l 1 1 105 In the latter condition'thecircuit will be from the terminal 13 to the connector bar 51, to theears 29 of the frame, thence to the angular metal piece 36, reflector34, and through the socket to the outer terminal of the lamp 46,then-from tern frame. metal bracket 79 having its ends turned about thebase contact to the spring 43, the rod 48, and the nut 5'7, to the lug54, on the terminal 14.

The clamping ring 31 is given a U-bend 58 to provide clearance for therod 48, and the sleeve 49, and also to give a free opening and closingaction of the ring.

with the parts assembled, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the lantern may beused in the ordinary way, and is lighted or turned outby a slightmovement of the nut 57.

When the battery is to be changedthe screws 30 and the nut 57 areremoved, the battery is lifted out and replaced by another equipped withparts corresponding to the connectorbar 51 and the lug 54, if they areavailable, otherwise the same lugs are changed from the old to the newbattery.

It is contemplated that each time a lantern goes into service it will beequipped with a freshly charged battery and each time thelanterncompletes a tour of service the battery will be removed andrecharged. I In this way the trainman will be assured of having a fullycharged battery each time he goes on duty.

Of course, instead of the secondary battery, 2; primary battery may beused, but the secondary battery will be more economical and moresatisfactory under many conditions.

Some railway men prefer a wire frame lantern, and Figs. 4, 5 and 6,sheet 2 are inserted to illustrate how the invention may be embodied tosuit those men.

In Fig. 4- thebase ring 15 and the seat ring 19 are retained as shown inFig.2. The side pieces, however, take'the form of four wires 59 andtheclamping ring is also made of wire, as shown at 60.

The wires 59 are formed up by machine, the intermediate portions arewelded to the seat ring 19 and their ends are turned about the base ring15 and the clamping ring 60, as shown at 61 and 62 respectively.Adjacent the turned portion 62 the clamping ring is slightly offset, asindicated at 63 to assist in locating the wires 59.

A U-bend 64 in the clamping ring 60 serves the samepurpose as the U-bend58 shown in Fig. 2. The ends of the wire constituting the clamping ring60 are eachturned into a complete loop 65, which are bent to lieparallel as indicated in Fig. '4, and receive the bolt 66, by which theclamping ring is made fast about the battery 10.

Handle plates 6'? of sheet metal have their forked ends 68 rolled aboutthe upper portions or the 'wires 59 and their intermediate portions 69perforated to receive rivets '70, on which the wirehan'dle 71 ispivoted. Latches '72 formed of wireia nd pivoted on the clamping ringserve to hold the handle in fixed position or allow it free pivotalmovement.

In Fig. 5 one of the wire side pieces '13 is provice-s with a bi'ght 74,in which the loop 750i the wire handle '76 is pivoted, and it will beunderstood without more complete illustrations that,

a similar structure is upon the opposite side of the lantern.

A sheet metal latch '77 pivoted on the clamping ring 78 serves to securethe handle '76 in upposition "or allow it free pivotal movement.

In Fig. *6 means is shown for mounting a handie -22, such as sho'wn inFig. l, on the wire lan- This isaccomplished by a sheet abattery seat ofinsulating material on the seat ring, a. battery on the seat andencircled by the clamping band, a reflector below the battery seat andelectrically connected with the seat ring, a lamp socket projectingupwardly from the refiector and electrically connected with it, a lampin the socket having a base contact, a transverse conductor on thebattery seat bearing a spring contact for the lamp, a rod extending fromthe transverse conductor upwardly alongside the battery, a switchbetween the rod and one terminal of the battery and an electricalconnection between the other terminal and the clamping ring.

2. In a lantern, a metal frame including side bars connecting a seatring and a clamping band, a battery seat of insulating material on the.seat ring, a battery on the seat and encircled by the clamping band, areflector below the battery seat and electrically connected with theseat ring, a lamp socket projecting upwardly from the refiector andelectrically connected with it, a lamp in the socket having a basecontact, a transverse conductor on the battery seat bearing a springcontact for the lamp, a rod extending from the transverse conductorupwardly alongside the battery, a lug projecting from one terminal ofthe battery, a nut adjustable on the rod to open and close a circuitwith the lug, and means for connecting the other terminal of the batteryto the frame.

3. In a lantern, a frame including a seat ring, a battery seat ofinsulating material having a reduced portion in the ring, a battery onthe seat, a lamp socket opening downwardly from the seat, a lamp in thesocket, an electrical connection between one terminal of the battery andthe lamp socket, an electrical connection between the other terminal andthe lamp including a threaded rod alongside the battery, a contact lugprojecting from the terminal and a nut on the rod adjustable into andout of contact with the lug.

4. In a lantern, a frame including a seat ring, a battery seat ofinsulating material having a reduced portion in the ring, a battery onthe seat, a lamp in the socket, an electrical connection between oneterminal of the battery and the lamp socket, an electrical connectionbetween the other terminal and the lamp including a con- ,du'ctor on theseat extending laterally from the lamp beyond the side of the battery, arod extending upwardly alongside the battery, a lug extending laterallyfrom the terminal to the rod but insulated from it. and a nut threadedon the rod above the lug.

5. In a lantern, a frame comprising a seat ring below, a clamping ringabove, and side pieces connecting them, a downwardly directed reflectorelectrically connected with the ring, a connector bar extending inwardlyfrom the clamping ring and adapted to engage the terminal of a battery,a lamp socket in the reflector, a contact adjacent to the lamp socketbut insulated therefrom, a conductor extending upwardly from the contactadjacent the side of the frame, and means associated with the conductoradapted to engage the other terminal of a battery.

6. In a lantern, a metal frame comprising a seat ring below, a clampabove, and side pieces connecting the ring and clamp, a battery seat ofinsulating material on the seat ring, a downwardly directed reflector onthe battery seat electrically connected to the seat ring, a lamp socketelectrically connected with the reflector, a lamp contact on the batteryand electrical connections from the frame and the lamp contact for abattery. 7

7. In a lantern, a metal frame comprising a seat ring below, a clampabove, and side pieces connecting the ring and clamp, a handle pivotallyconnected with the side pieces, a battery seat of insulating material onthe seat ring, a downwardly directed reflector on the battery seatelectrically connected to the seat ring, a lamp socket electricallyconnected with the reflector, a lamp contact on the battery seat, andelectrical connections from the frame and the lamp contact for abattery.

8. In a lantern, a metal frame comprising a seat ring below, a clampabove, and side pieces connecting the ring and clamp, a loop-shapedhandle pivotally connected with the side pieces, a latch for holding thehandle against pivotal movement, a battery seat of insulating materialon the seat ring, a downwardly directed reflector on the battery seatelectrically connected to the seat ring, a lamp socket electricallyconnected with the reflector, a lamp contact on the battery seat,electrical connections from the frame and the lamp contact for a batteryand a switch in the lantern circuit controllable by the handle.

CARL H. LARSON.

